Healthcare

Since Governor Blagojevich took office in 2003, Illinois has become a national leader in expanding access to affordable healthcare.  Today, approximately 750,000 more men, women, children, senior citizens, and veterans have healthcare than before.  However, over 1.4 million adults in Illinois are still uninsured, and millions more lack affordable health coverage.

Last year, Governor Blagojevich proposed Illinois Covered, a comprehensive plan to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare to all Illinoisans.  Over the last year, several pieces of Illinois Covered were implemented, but there is still more work that needs to be done in order to ensure that all Illinoisans have access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Proposals

• Illinois Covered Choice – In FY09, the State will propose Illinois Covered Choice , which will allow small businesses and individuals the opportunity to buy into guaranteed, affordable private plans regardless of health status or income level.
• Illinois Covered Assist – In FY09, the State will propose Illinois Covered Assist, which will provide healthcare for Illinoisans living in poverty who are not otherwise eligible for State healthcare programs.  This expansion will provide healthcare to a quarter million adults. Participants will be assured a medical home at community health centers and health clinics, and will also receive certain hospital benefits, disease management, mental health services, substance abuse treatment and prescription drug benefits.
• Illinois Covered Rebate – During FY09, the State will propose a program that helps more Illinoisans afford their health insurance premiums. The program will provide financial assistance to Illinoisans to help alleviate the increasing cost of health insurance premiums.
• Roadmap to Health & Electronic Health Records Skyrocketing healthcare costs threaten to undermine our entire healthcare system. Additionally, promoting quality is central to meaningful healthcare reform. The FY09 budget includes funding for new quality incentive programs within the State’s Medicaid, All Kids and FamilyCare programs. Resources will also be allocated to encourage the adoption of electronic health records, building on recent progress in this area. The administrative and quality improvements will produce savings by introducing new efficiencies to our healthcare system.
• Healthcare Capacity Building – We will also introduce new grant programs and initiatives to improve fitness and wellness, enhance healthcare capacity at school-based health centers and community healthcare provider sites, and continue to address the state’s nursing and other health professional shortages. Improving overall health status by promoting wellness and reducing disease and promoting primary care will in the long-run decrease healthcare costs.
• To support these initiatives, we are proposing a 3% payroll assessment only on businesses of a certain size that do not spend at least 4% of their payroll on healthcare for their employees. The money will be deposited in the new Illinois Covered Trust Fund, which will serve as the treasury for the Illinois Covered plan

 Ongoing Healthcare Reforms

• FamilyCareExpansion – The FamilyCare program was expanded to provide access to healthcare for 147,000 more adults. Middle class Illinoisans are now eligible for affordable healthcare through the State, even if their family income is as high as $82,600 for a family of 4. Parents pay monthly premiums based on family income.
• Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program – On October 1, 2007, the Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, expanded breast and cervical cancer screenings and treatment to all uninsured women in Illinois. 
• All Kids BridgeProgram – All Kids Bridge is a new program that provides coverage for sick kids, ages 19-21, who become too old for All Kids healthcare coverage. Through the Comprehensive Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a bridge is offered to these young adults, who suffer from cancer, diabetes, and other pre-existing conditions, to continue coverage until the age of 21 at the same cost they paid for All Kids.

For more information go to www.illinoiscovered.com